Document VKb3qxgdo6EDk1KRdQK3wMbQg

Twenty-fifth National Safety Congress Cpmmin,'c Chairman--H. L. Lincoln, The Union lee Co.t San Francisco, Membership Committee Chaimum--1,, T. McARTiira. Peoria Service Co., Peoria, III. ^Uu?s",MaUlifriA'/l Committee Chairman--Rav M. Seeker, Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Si. Program Committee Chairman--A. Brandt. National Association of Ice Indus tries, Chicago, III. Publicity Committee Chairman--Was L. Scott, Bureau of Safety, Chicago, 111 S,fi`Syrf Comwi,tri` Chairman--Herman Hillenbach. Knickerbocker lee Gl, New York. Members at Large-- J- A- Adams, Union Terminal Cold Storage Co, New York. N. Y G. D. Allman. United Slates Cold Storage Co, Chicago, III. C. A. Bowen, Cutler Ice Co., Binghamton, N. Y, George B. Bright. George B. Bright Co., Detroit, Mich. A. F. Carrion. Monsanto Chemical Co.. St. Ixiuis, Mo. h, 'X` pAWusv. Southern United Ice Co.. Jackson, Miss. W. O. Ham. Southern Ice & Utilities Co., Dallas, Texas. S- R. Kaluns, C. Hoffberger Co^ Baltimore, Md. U. Knorlock, American Utilities Service Corp., Savanna, III. J* F. Nickerson, American Institute of Refrigeration. Chicago, III 5*t w9ASEr# ^,!ca^:t` n Lihby. McNeill & Libby, Chicago, 111. ,cc Producers Mutual Liability Co., Chicago, I1L W. M. O Keefe, American Warehousemen's Assn., Chicago, III. Gardner Poole. American Institute of Refrigeration,`Boston, Mass. A; r PDES Carbide & Carbon Chemicals Corp,, Whiting, Ind. W- H. Senvard. Louisiana Power & Light Co., New Orleans, La. M. J. Uune, The M. J. Ulinc Co.. Washington, D. C. TUESDAY MORNING SESSION October 6, 1936 The session was called to order by Genera! Chairman Harold M. Toombs, Armour & Co.. Chicago, who presided, Chairman Toombs reported on the activitics of the Section during the past year and introduced the speakers. Accident Prevention in the Brewing Industry By JOHN M. ROCHE Engineer, Travelers Insurance Co, New York City Mechanical and physical safeguarding is the first line of attack in any campaign 10 reduce, brewery accidents. Machines, whether maintenance or production, should be equipped with the best guards the market oilers. If no guards arc MWiwil. available, then they should be designed atul applied by brewery engineering de partments. Belts, pulleys, gears, chains, sprockets, fly wheels, and other dangerous moving parts may be found in nearly all operating departments of the modern Refrigeration Section 445 brewery. Wherever they arc located, they should be completely enclosed with guards. In the mechanical departments, saws, jointers, shapers, stave machines, and punches should be provided with point of operation guards that will pre vent the hands of the operators from entering the danger zone while the ma chines are running. Hoistways and elevators, often the scene of serious injuries, can stand plenty of improvement in most breweries. Some of these antiquated devices have long out lived any possibility of efficient operation and should be replaced with modern equipment. Where they can be made safe, action should be taken immediately to eliminate the hazards. Floors, stairs, and platforms in brew eries take severe punishment because of the nature of the work, and often they are allowed to wear to the danger point. One of the best types of floors, both from a service and safety stand|>oint, is a con crete floor with carborundum particles worked into the surface. This type of floor, even when wet. will prevent most slips and falls. The market now offers composition tile with a non-slip surface tliat may also be used for safe flooring. Safety treads for stairways, cither metal or composition, may be obtained, using carborundum or some other suitable abrasive as a surface. These are far superior to the wood treads and, although higher in first cost, actually they arc more economical because of their long life. Stairways should be provided with sub stantial hand rails on both sides. Work ing platforms should also he provided with guard rails and in addition, a toe board, at least six inches high, should be installed to eliminate the chance of ma terial falling to the floor below. Ladders cause many accidents in brew eries. Men often use make-shift ladder*. The only real solution here is to destroy this substandard equipment. Substantial ladders, constructed of a hard wood prop erly cured, should be provided; these should have non-slip safety feet and if they arc to be used around tanks or vats, the tops should be equipped with hooks. Where possible, a steel ladder should !>c securely bolted in position in preference to a portable ladder. Conveyors arc coming into more gen eral use in the industry and they bring new hazards that should be controlled. All conveyors, live or dead, should have cross-over steps at every aisle. Side boards should be so extended as to pre vent the jumping of cases or barrels at turns or on down grades. Low headroom underpasses should be clearly shown by contrast painting and warning signs. Ma terial, in case warehouses, should he piled so that at least a two foot ai<d? is maintained on both sides of the conveyor. This will make it unnecessary for men to walk on top of it or to try ani rde the belt to reach the other end of the aisle. Bottle filling machines, cappers, and labelers seem to be the points al which hollies may explode. These machines should have mesh barriers installed that will protect the operator from flying pSass. This may he difficult, but it is well worth the effort if injuries arc prevented. Pitching machines are now provided with interlocks that prevent the aiM1ication of air to the tank unless the barrel is in position. Those that arc not c<|uip!>cd can easily he protected with a "honiv made** interlock. Particular care should he taken to pro vide sufficient artificial ventilation for men who are engaged in cleaning or shellacing vats. Carbon dioxide gas may cause the suffocation of a workman In the former, while wood alcohol poisoning may cause permanent blindness in the latter. Posi tive feed air masks should always be supplied if natural ventilation is not ob tainable. Gas masks should not be used where carbon dioxide is present in excess. The air in the tank should be tested before an employee is allowed to enter and where tanks are being cleaned, even though the gas indication is negative, a life line should be supplied, controlled by an outside man. He should never enter the tank while the other man is inside. These physical hazards are but a few of the many that need attention if acci dents arc to be decreased. Some of the others arc: Grounding of electrical equipment, maintenance of clear aisles, removal of protruding set screws on mov ing machinery, supplying barrel skids for trucks, and providing gloves and goggies where caustic solutions are used. Handling materials causes most injuries in the brewing industry, or about 43 out of every 100 cases. Hand and toot in-